


Halloween Town

by wisenedthefuckup



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Gen, In 600 Words, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 06:40:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11503845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisenedthefuckup/pseuds/wisenedthefuckup
Summary: Bill and Frank decorate for Halloween, and discuss Bill's upcoming birthday.





	Halloween Town

**Author's Note:**

> 2021, fall, 12 years pre-game. They're both in their mid to late 20's, still very fond of one another.

Lincoln was awash with the colors of autumn. To Bill’s best estimate, it was somewhere towards the end of October. Hardly a single green leaf remained on the seasonal trees. Instead, yellows and golds, oranges and reds, filled the branches. Barely any of the trees- the healthy ones, anyway- had fully lost their leaves. It had been a wet, mild autumn so far, and for that he was grateful. Wet meant that he’d have plenty of water to collect from the rain barrels. Mild meant that he’d be able stock up on food for even longer before it got scarce.  
    “Getting t'be that time of year,” Frank announced cheerfully, brushing fallen leaves from in front of the old bakery so he could open the door.  
    “What time?” It was a game they played every year, mostly because Bill liked to pester Frank.  
    “You _know_  what time.”   
    “Do I, though?” Bill rubbed his chin thoughtfully as Frank gestured him through the door. He paused for a moment, staring at the half-collapsed display case. Fifteen years ago, those shelves would have been lined with pumpkin shaped cookies, spiced donuts and cakes. Now there was just years of weather damage and empty trays.  
    “I mean, I hope you would- it’s a very special day, Billy.”  
    Turning from nostalgia, Bill grinned at his lover. “Why don'tcha enlighten me, then?”   
    “Hold on, then. Just hold on. Gotcher wisdom comin’ up fresh, pipin’ hot just fer you.” Frank vaulted over the counter, digging around under the register before popping back out. “Halloween’s coming up!” His arms were filled with horribly ratty old decorations- discolored banners, black cats that had been reduced to mere framework, spiders that had animatronics poking out-  
    Bill chuckled, tossing a tray at Frank. Frank ducked, grinning, as Bill barked, “There’s something more important that day andja know it, asshole.”  
    “Oh?” Frank frowned, straightening back up. The decorations sagged in his arms, as though he was disappointed. “Whatever could that be?”  
    “Gee, I dunno- m'birthday, maybe?”  
    Frank gasped dramatically, dropping the decorations on the counter so that he could smack a hand to his forehead. “Oh, gracious! A fool I’ve been! However could I have forgotten?” He tapped his chin. “Y'know… I didn’t even get you a birthday present!”  
    “Well, you’d better make up for it,” Bill said matter-of-factly, grabbing some of the items off the counter. He set up one of the cats on the corner of the display case, delicately positioning it. It was lopsided, and kept trying to fall over when he let go. “The 31st isn’t very far away, an’ y'know I don’t like to be kept waiting.”  
    Frank snorted, an nasally sound like a malformed sneeze. “Gosh! Demanding, ain’t we?” He was starting to decorate, too, stretching one of the banners over the menu board on the wall. “Y'know, Billy… Just fer that, maybe I won’t getcha anything for yer birthday this year.”  
    “Y’ wouldn’t!”   
    They carried on like that, playfully elbowing each other, as they decorated the rest of the bakery, the passage between there and the bar.

    A week passed, and the church was filled with warped plastic pumpkins and grimy plastic ghosts. Candles flickered inside them, glowing gently. Bill was slaving away over a fire, cooking up dinner, when he heard the cellar doors thud open.  
    “Happy Halloween, Frank!” he called.  
    “Happy birthday, Billy!” Frank shouted back, jogging up the stairs to meet him in the chapel.  
    “All clear?”  
    “All clear. Happy birthday,” Frank repeated, carefully setting a package beside Bill. It was a long, indistinct shape wrapped up in fabric. “For after dinner, okay?”

**Author's Note:**

> Second 600 word challenge; Halloween.


End file.
